I think I would categorize myself as a Marvel fanboy at least in terms of appreciating what Marvel has done to craft this shared cinematic universe. And while their first big risk in The Avengers paid off handsomely, everyone (including myself) agrees that Guardians of the Galaxy, finally opening this weekend, will be their biggest test yet in continuing this multi-billion dollar franchise. The film features characters such as a gun-toting, talking raccoon and a character that's essentially just a tall tree and while the general audience has been conditioned to accepting these sort of characters in Star Wars and Lord of the Rings, it's always still a sticky proposition (see John Carter).

Luckily, the marketing has been top notch from the gorgeous and cheeky teaser poster (above) to the earwormy and irreverent trailers which do a great job in not only introducing us to the characters, but also to the general tone of the film. Plus it seems some have already embraced the film and its characters as highlighted by the following impressive fan-made posters culled by Poster Posse (Phase 1, Phase 2):